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Thera 1.69: Channa
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(69):Channa Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter I. Single Verses =69. Channa= Reborn when our Exalted One was alive in the house of King Suddhodana. This man was a slave called Channa. A contemporary of the future Buddha, he found faith in the Lord(Buddha) when the latter returned to meet his family. He upon that entered the Monk’s order. Out of his affection for Him, egoistic pride in 'our Buddha, our Doctrine' arose, and he could not conquer this fondness, nor perform his duty as novice. When the Lord(Buddha) had passed away, and his injunction that the higher penalty be imposed on Channa was carried out,1 the latter suffered anguish, eradicated his fondness, and soon after attained arahantship(enlightenment). Thereafter, blissful in his emancipation(nirvana), he expressed his rapture in this saying(gatha): ---- 69 Sutvāna dhammaɱ mahato mahārasaɱ|| Sabbaññutaññaṇavarena desitaɱ|| Maggaɱ papajjiɱ amatassa pattiyā|| So yogakkhemassa pathassa kovido' ti.|| || ---- 69 I heard the Truth which that Great One had taught, And felt its mighty virtues, known by Him Who all things with supernal insight knew.2 The Path for winning things ambrosial I found. Past-Lord(Buddha) He in truth to guide Into the way of blissful security. ---- 1 Dialogues, ii. 171; Vinaya Texts, iii. 381-384. 2 Lit., 'by supreme knowledge which has understood everything.' ---- 1.7-9 69 Commentary on the stanza of =Channatthera= The stanza startign with Sutvāna dhammaṃ mahato mahārasaṃ costitutes that of the venerable Thera Channa. What is the origin? This one also, having done devoted service toward former Buddhas, accumulating meritorious deeds conducive towards escape from rounds of repeated rebirhts (vaṭṭa) in this and that existence, was reborn in a family home, at the time of the Blessed One Siddhattha. On having attained the age of intelligence, he one day saw the Blessed One Siddhattha going near the root of a certain tree, became pious-minded, had a leaf-spread soft to touch well spread out and offered (the same to Him). Having scattered down all round, flowers also, he made reverential offering of them as well (to Him). On account of that act of merit, he was reborn in the divine world, and again also, having done meritorious deeds now and then, wandered about his rounds of repeated rebirths but in excellent existences (sugati), was reborn in the womb of a she-slave, in the royal house of the great king Suddhodana, at the time of our Blessed One. His mane was Channa; he was born along with the Bodhisatta simultaneously (sahajāta). Having aptly gained pious faith in the coming together (samāgama) of the relatives of the Master, he became a monk and on account of his fondness in the Blessed One he evoked egoism (mamatta) saying: “Our Buddha, Our Buddha,” and not do his monk’s duty and when the Master passed away to nibbāna completely (parinibbuta), on having been well frightened (santajjita) by the ‘highest penalty’ (brahmadaṇḍa) according to the ordinance (āṇatta) in due form (vidhinā) ussued (katena) by the Master, he became remorse-stricken, cut off his affectionate love, and as and when he began to develop spiritual insight (vipassanā), he attained Arahantship but before long. Hence, has it been said in Apadāna.-- “I offered leaf-spread to the Blessed One Suddhattha; bringing forward also (upahārañca) all round I scattered down flowers (kusuma). I enjoy the delightful divine palace of quality which is highly worthy; flowers of great value flow into my bed. I share (tuvaṭṭāmi) the bed variegatedly spread well with flowers; for all times there rain down also flower-shower on my bed. It was ninety-four aeons (kappa) ago, from now, that I made my offering of leaf-spread. I do not remember any evil existence; this is the fruitful result of the spread (offering). These seven world-kings named Tiṇasantharakā (grass-spreads), rulers of men, sprang up those five aeon (kappa) ago from now. My depravity had been burnt. … Buddha’s instruction had been carried out." Having, however, attained Arahantship, he uttered a stanza in order to make his joyous utterance releasing the speed of his zest, being well-satisfied with the bliss of emancipation.-- 69. ”Having heard the highly delicious truth (dhamma) from the great, taught by the excellent omniscient knowledge (ñāṇa), I entered upon the right path (magga) for the attainment of immortality (amata); He is clever in the path towards security from fetters (yogakkhema). There, seized by ear, being attentive, and having realised in conformity with the ear-door. Dhammaṃ means the teaching (dhamma) of the four noble truths. Mahato means of the Blessed One. Indeed, the Blessed One is said to be “Mahā (great)” because of being endowed with such great, most lofty (uḷāra) qualities as moral precepts and so on, and also because of being praise worthy distinctively by the world together with the divine world. Mahāsamaṇo is to be construed thus: Whatever designation (samaññā) had sprung up for Him, this is a word in the ablative case (nissakka) “mahatodhammaṃ sutvāna, having heard the teaching (dhamma) from the great.” Mahārasaṃ means: lofty flavour because of being the giver of the flavour of emancipation. Sabbaññutañaṇavarena desitaṃ is to be construed thus:– He knows all; thus, He is Sabbaññu, the omniscient; the state of that is Sabbaññutā (the condition of being omniscient). The knowledge itself is excellent (vara); in other words: the excellent among kinds of knowledge (ñāṇesu): thus, ñāṇavaraṃ (the excellent knowledge): to him there is excellent knowledge of being omniscient; thus, sabbaññutañāṇa varo (He who has the excellent knowledge of omniscience); the Blessed One. Having heard the truth (dhamma) taught and pointed out either by that foremost knowledge, reckoned as omniscient knowledge, or by having become the instrumental case (karaṇa): thus, is the interpretation. Whatever, however, should be said here, that should be understood in the manner stated in the Commentary on Itivuttaka (known as) Paramatthadī-panī. Maggaṃ means the eightfold noble path (ariya magga). Pāpajjiṃ means I entered upon. Amatassa pattiyā means: I entered upon that which had become the approach (upāya) towards the attainment of nibbāna; thus, is the interpretation. So means: that Blessed One. Yogakkhemassapathassa kovido is to be construed thus:– whichever is the path of nibbāna where one is not haressed by four bonds (yoga) (of craving, existence, false views and ignorance), at that He is clever, well efficient there. This, indeed, is the meaning here:– having heard the teaching of the four noble truths, I entered upon the approach road towards the achievement of immortality; the path of entry was made by me; that Blessed One even was however, clever in the path of security from bonds (yoga) in every respect; He is clever in either the continuity of others (parasantāna) or the mind of others; thanks to whose arrangement (saṃvidhāna) I also entered upon the right path (magga). This self-same stanza itself was that of the thera’s exposition of his aññā(attainment). The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Channa is complete. ----